Here are seven tips to cast your business to center stage:
1. Show Up (On Time)
Well, it’s often said that half of the battle is already won if the fighter would simply Show up. Your brand must at least be present when the marketplace role is called. Competitive edge in the marketplace is a beast. Therefore, value your business enterprise enough to ensure that it doesn’t miss any brand rehearsals to get sharper, stronger and faster.
2. Set the Stage
Every brand, of course, should be uniquely different. You want to “set the stage†for your brand by establishing a clear voice, tone, mission, message, and most of all, promise. Presentation and ambiance is everything when it comes to attracting and maintaining the right customer base.
3. Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
Every actor/actress knows that no matter how good they are (or think they are), rehearsals are an absolute must. This discipline determines the level of your brand commitment. In today’s marketplace, it’s all about staying at the top of your game. You should be asking, “Do we need to improve or adjust our products or services?â€, “Are we meeting our profit goals?â€, “Is our message stale, irrelevant, antiquated?†Rehearsals keep your brand present, sharp and positioned for center stage performance and profitability!
4. Listen to Your Coach
Typically, a coach is a skilled and proven business professional assigned to keep you accountable to the execution of your goals. However, oftentimes the coach is your audience–customers, clients, and individuals you serve. Your coach is the visionary voice, the emotions, the eyes, the ears, cluing you in to, “Give us a little more of that.†or “No, we don’t like that anymore.†or “This is how this product or service can be improved.†Anyone who achieves championship status at anything–understand the vitality of a coach. So give undivided attention to your coach, listen up or you just may miss when it’s your turn to come in.
5. Know Thy Audience
It doesn’t matter how often you show up, how many rehearsals you make (on time), if no one is filling the seats of your auditorium, then Houston, we really do have a problem. Happy audiences fill auditoriums so your customers and clients drive the heart and soul of your brand and business. Keep your customers happy by giving them what they (not you) want. Don’t ever take this simple but powerful business principle for granted.
6. Tell Your Story
When it comes to your brand, it doesn’t matter how anyone else tell their story–all that counts is how well you tell yours! Storytelling is one of the most celebrated arts throughout the corridors of history. Everyone loves a good story–that moves, inspires, captivates and empowers. Your business (no matter what it is) must have the capacity to tell a story. Make sure that your brand can tell it, and share it with conviction.
7. Do Your Dance
Once you’ve crafted, perfected and shared a good brand story, and your audience (customer/client) is pleased, then you can celebrate yet another victory. Hard work deserves celebration. It takes diligence, practice and precision to pull off a high quality brand performance–so when you do, don’t forget to dance.
Roz A. Gee speaks and consults as The Brand Empowerment Agentâ„¢ and CEO of The Rated Gee Agency, A Brand Empowerment Company that offers service sectors in Brand Identity and Development, Brand Messaging, Media Relations and Speaking/Training. Roz has masterfully mixed over 20 years of cumulative experience and has worked corporately for industry titans such as General Electric, AT&T, AOL, IBM, SAP/Sybase and Northrop Grumman. Follow on Twitter and Facebook.